Weekend at the Cabin
by everg8er23
Summary: My first fic...SG1 gets some vacation time. Not is all that it seems. SJ COMPLETE!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in the story, if I did I would not be writing fanfiction, I would be enjoying my own private island.

"Hey Jack, wait up!" Daniel's voice floated down the hall.

Colonel Jack O'Neill stopped and turned to glare at Dr. Jackson. "Daniel this better be important, I finally got vacation time and I don't want to waste any of it at work." He gestured at the bare metals walls around him. "Not quite Minnesota." His usual sarcasm was making an appearance. 

"Actually, I wanted to ask you about Minnesota." Daniel looked at him uncomfortably.

Jack's face softened, "Oh, well, if you want to come along..."

"It's not me who-"

"Oh then if no one wants to keep me company." Jack turned towards the elevator.

"I want you to take Sam."

Jack whirled around not believing what he was hearing. "Um... Danny if you haven't noticed, I ask Carter to come along every time I go to my cabin, I think you know her answer."

"I know Jack, but it's just that..." he stopped when Sam walked around the corner.

Sam smiled at both of them then said to Colonel O'Neill, "I thought you would have left already Sir."

Jack shot a glare at Daniel, "I was just about to leave when... I thought I might ask you to join me again." He changed his mind when he saw Daniel making frantic gestures behind Sam and pointing at the both of them.

"Thanks again, Sir, but I have a lot to do around here, there's the Goa'uld devices SG-9 picked up from P3X 477 and the invisible book which no one seems to know what to do with."

"Major, there's a reason they call it _leave._" He drew imaginary quotes around the last word. Jack wasn't quite sure why he was inviting her again, after all there was no way she would say yes, unless an alien took over her mind. He guessed he had just wanted a reason to spend time with her alone and Daniel's request seemed to be the perfect excuse, even if he didn't know the objective of it.

Sam laughed and bid them both farewell and Jack good luck with his fishing even though he never caught anything.

Both men stood and watched her head back to her office. "If someone doesn't make her leave here for the next week, she'll take root."

"That's why you have to get her to go with you," Daniel almost whined.

"Why don't you take her wherever you're going. Where are you going anyway?"

"The United Archeologist Foundation conference."

Jack rolled his eyes, didn't anyone around here ever stop working?

Daniel noticed the expression on his face, "That's why you have to take her. Besides you understand Sam so much better than I do."

"Hmpf! Daniel if I understood one woman I would count myself lucky. Why do you think I joined the Air Force?"

Daniel knew that was a joke, but he didn't think it was very funny. The look he had on his face told Jack that much. And much to Jack's chagrin he found himself feeling slightly guilty. 

"Jack, you've got to get her out of her, get her mind off all the stuff that's been happening."

Jack noticed the concern in Daniel's voice and thought about all the things that had happened to Carter, the armband incident, being a Zatarc, Martouf's death, him admitting what he never would have...

"I can't Daniel, I don't think I'm the right person to..."

"You're exactly the right person, maybe even the only person, she trusts you like no one else."

"It was then that Jack realized he was going to have to do what Daniel asked, God he hated it when he was right. Jack looked at Daniel and said the one word Daniel had been wanting to hear, "alright."

Without looking back Colonel O'Neill speed walked to Carter's office, but when he got there he wasn't sure what he was going to say. He knocked gently on the door announcing his presence. 

"Sir, um...come in." Sam stepped back from the door to allow him passage and he closed the door behind him. Carter looked a little preoccupied, he thought there was a tear glistening at the corner of her eye, but the next second it was gone. "Did you want something sir?"

"Yeah, actually I want your company." Jack tried to stall for time.

"I told you Colonel, I have things to do around here."

"Carter they can wait. The SGC's not going anywhere. You have time off and I'm going to make you take it whether you like it or not."

Sam looked taken aback before regaining her composure. Jack felt sorry having to be so blunt but God Carter could be stubborn.

"I'm sorry Carter but I really don't want to alone." Jack figured if he made it about him she might be more willing to cooperate.

After a while Sam must have decided that Jack was being sincere because she said, "Ok, when do we leave?"

Jack could not believe how easy that had been. It was a pity he hadn't thought of it before, "As soon as your ready."

******


	2. Chapter 2

Ten minutes later a freshly showered Sam in civilian attire and a duffel back arrived in Jack's office. "That was fast."

"I keep a bag packed at all times, just in case." Carter replied simply.

Jack looked at her with admiration, "Ok, let's blow this joint." He rolled up his yo-yo and put it in his own bag. He couldn't understand how some women could take 30 minutes in the bathroom just putting on their eye-shadow, and Carter could do it all in under 10.

"I've got to go shopping, I don't know when it was the last time I was there."

Carter understood what he meant, it had been at least a week since the last time she was home. "I sympathize sir."

******

"So what exactly do you plan on doing all week sir?" Sam asked Jack as he drove his 4 wheel drive up the winding path to his personal secluded paradise.

"Fishing. Sleeping."

"Is that all you actually do when you come up here?"

"Why? Don't you believe me? I figure I can afford to be lazy sometimes. Don't you think people should give themselves that luxury every once in awhile?"

Sam ignored the pointed question, and knew he deeply disapproved of her working all the time. She wondered if he would ever understand that working _was_ her vacation.

They sat in silence until they reached the cabin. Sam couldn't stop herself from gasping. The view was absolutely beautiful.

"You like it, huh?" Jack grinned at the expression on Carter's face. It seemed like, at least for a moment, all the complications in her life had disappeared and she had once again experienced the wonder of childhood. Where no walls were too high to be climbed and no lines couldn't be crossed.

"Like it? It's absolutely stunning. I had no idea..."

"I like to think of it as my little piece of heaven. C'mon I'd like you to meet my friends- Mr. Tree, Miss Rock and," he spread his hands wide gesturing to the shimmering pool behind him, "Mrs. Lake."

Jack grabbed their bags out of the back and headed toward the cabin, "Coming?"

Sam had been staring at the scenery totally lost in its beauty. The entire area had a feeling of tranquility Sam never had time to experience in her hectic life. Her initial thought of this being a bad idea was starting to diminish. She shook herself from the reverie when Jack spoke and joined him at the door.

"Home Sweet Home," he announced stepping into the living room.

"Cozy. It's a nice place you have up here."

Jack studied Sam for a moment, she stood by the door, politely waiting for him to invite her to sit down or offer a drink. He couldn't do either, it was so magical, having her here with him, alone. Of course nothing could happen, that didn't mean he couldn't wish. She was so beautiful, her blonde hair surrounding her face like a halo. Jack's little piece of heaven had found an angel. Then he silently wondered what he had gotten himself into. He remembered the reason she was here in the first place, make her feel better, comfort her, and shield her from all the hurt in her life. If only he knew how to begin to do all that.

Jack remained quiet too long, gazing at Sam with that far away look he got in his eye when she knew he was day dreaming, she had seen it all to often when she was briefing the team before a mission. Sam decided to break the silence, "So where do I put my stuff?"

"Huh? Oh, in the spare room upstairs, I'll show you." Jack mentally reprimanded himself for letting his thoughts run away with him. He liked to be on guard for anything, that was difficult to do in la-la land. Not that he really had to worry, what could happen here, in the backwaters of Minnesota?

By dinner time Carter had aquatinted herself with the cabin and surrounding land, at least as far as the lake.

"So, do you think you'll survive the week?" Jack asked her over his steaming plate of spaghetti.

"Survive? I feel like I've died and gone to heaven, sir." Sam smiled at his undoubtedly amused expression. "What is it Sir?"

"Oh it's just that you always turned my offer down in the past, and now your here and positively enjoying yourself."

A/N: Sorry about the short chapter and lame ending, I couldn't find a decent place to stop. Don't give up on me, I promise it will get better.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews people. You're great! If anyone is wondering why they have a vacation for a week, but the story is called a _Weekend _at the Cabin. That will be explained near the end. So, here we go.

Jack and Sam talked throughout their meal, thoroughly enjoying spending time with each other, not having to worry about, Goa'uld threats and System Lords. 

"Sir, could you pass the green beans?"

"I think you can drop the formalities Carter." Jack reached across the table and served her some of the beans. "After all, we are going to be here for a week."

"Sir, I don't know if that would be a good idea."

"Carter, it's just you and me with some non-existent fish, I don't think anyone will mind." Jack looked at her with the kind of eyes that made her heart melt into pile of mush.

"I will Sir." Sam couldn't explain what exactly it was that she had to lose by not calling him by his respectful title, but the formalities were like an invisible wall reminding her he was still her CO, no matter where they were."

"Major, call me Jack, that's an order!"

"Yes, Sir!" Sam slipped into drill routine without realizing it.

"Jack started laughing, Sam aware of her mistake joined him.

"Well... Jack, I suppose you will have to call me Sam then."

"Sounds like a deal." He held out his hand and they shook on it, as if sealing a lifelong contract. 

After they had finished their meal, Jack took Sam by the hand, "This is something you have to see." He led he out the back door and onto the porch. 

Sam looked out over the shimmering lake, where the sun had just disappeared from the red sky. "It's beautiful." She walked over and sat on the swing, where Jack joined her.

"Sure is," Jack agreed, although he wasn't necessarily talking about the sunset.

They both sat in silence, not sure what to say to one another. Usually they could talk about anything for hours on end, but the spell over them now was one of peaceful silence.

Sam started to shiver despite herself. With the now gone sun, and a chilly autumn air blowing in, the temperature was dropping.

"Come here." Jack felt her shake beside him, and whispered his infamous phrase to let Sam know she was allowed to be cuddled.

Sam didn't hesitate for a moment she just placed her body along side Jacks. He didn't think she could get any closer if she tried, but it didn't bother him a bit. His muscular arm was wrapped securely, almost possessively, around her shoulder.

Time seemed to stand still for them. Jack didn't know, nor care, how long they sat like that. It must have been awhile because Sam had fallen asleep with her head on Jack's shoulder.

He didn't want to wake her, she seemed so peaceful like that, but he knew they couldn't spend the night outside. He called her name softly, which had no effect. He nudged her shoulder gently, still nothing. On an impulse, he bent his head and planted a soft kiss on Sam's forehead, this worked. He eyes flew open and she looked up at her CO with a mixture of shock and confusion.

Jack laughed at her startled expression, "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Sir?" Sam suddenly found herself blushing.

"Its Jack remember, and I won't tell if you don't. He raised his eyebrows at her.

Sam knew he was joking and not meaning to imply anything, at least she thought he wasn't.

"C'mon Carter, bed time, we've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.

"We do?"

"Oh, yes. I have to teach you all of the complexities of fishing." Jack walked toward the door, his back informing her about what was in her future. "Baiting, casting, reeling, and if you get a real feisty one..."

Sam never found out what you were suppose to do with a feisty fish, because she was knocked unconscious by a high frequency, semi-polarized beam of light.

A/N: I apologize to any techies out there, I have no idea if there is such a thing as a high frequency semi-polarized beam of light, or if it would knock you out. But it sounds good and so I wrote it.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Sorry, it's not Thor. That would be too nice for them. We need heartache and pain, not a cushy gray alien.

Jack slowly opened his eyes. His head felt like lead and his entire body was sore, like he had just been through a three hour work-out. He tried to scan his surroundings, but gave up instantly, everywhere around him was pitch black. The only thing he could make out was a metal door, illuminated by a faint light some distance down what Jack assumed to be a corridor. Jack suddenly noticed how cold it was in the chamber. He snuggled his face into the thin lining of his T-shirt. In the dark, he tried to prop himself up off the cold, stone floor, but found his hands had been tied. Not just together, but to someone else. He immediately knew it was Sam, her scent more than anything had given her away. Sam had a sweet, natural smell, not even the reek of their current living area could mask. He could feel that they were tied back-to-back, a rope was looped around each of their wrists individually then tied together with what Jack assumed to be a square knot.

Behind him Sam groaned, "Sam hey, wake up!"

"Sir, umm... where are we?"

"I don't know. We must be underground, it's so dark and extremely cold." Jack turned his head as if he might be able to look at Sam, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I think so. I just ache all over, and I'm really cold."

Jack felt reassured by that. If these aliens, or whatever they were that had kidnapped them were, had hurt Sam, he would have hunt them down and made sure they never again saw the light of day. "Do you think you can stand up?"

"I'll give it a try." Sam started to push herself up but her feet had been tied as had Jack's and she did not manage to get very far. 

After a fair amount of wiggling and ungraceful falls they had noticed if they braced themselves against each other's backs they could push themselves upright. They both started to straighten up, but Jack pushed harder than Sam and she lost her balance, falling forward with her face smashing into the ground. Jack fell with her, trying not to hit her with most of his weight. He failed miserably, knocking the wind out of her when they hit the ground. He quickly rolled on to his side, letting her catch her breath. 

"Sorry Sam, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just flattened like a pancake."

He heard the teasing tone in her voice and teased her back. "Just be glad I'm not Teal'c."

"No, but if you were Teal'c, he could probably lift me on his own."

Jack scowled at this comment, but kept quiet because she was, as usual, right.

****

"Ok, on the count of three. One... two... three!"

Nearly a half hour, and a whole lot more bruises later, Jack and Sam struggled in vain to get firm footing on the ground. If it was possible, the temperature had decreased even more, both Sam and Jack had Goosebumps running along their arms. They had been managing to stand a little higher each try. This time they made it, with a few uncertain wobbles, the pair stood.

"Now what do we do?"

"I don't know sir, standing was your idea."

In the distance Jack thought he heard a faint swoosh-swoosh. "Did you hear that?" 

"Hear what sir?"

Swoosh-swoosh, Swoosh-swoosh.

"There it was again!"

"Sir, I don't..." swoosh-swoosh, "That?"

Before Jack had time to answer her, a grating sound came from where the door was. Someone had entered the dark room. The newcomer approached with the swoosh sound following their footsteps. As soon as the figure was close enough that Sam could see the outline of their cloaked head, she realized the swooshing was coming from their billowing cloak, that caught between their legs as they walked. The figure pointed to their bonds, he walked over to them. Sam made a quick jerk away from him when his burning hands touched the bare skin on her wrist. The figure, startled reached for his weapon. 

Thinking quickly Sam gave Jack a pinch, to let him know what she was thinking. The two individuals worked as one being. Jack bent forward to give Sam the ability to lean on his back and boost herself into the air. She kicked with all her might at the cloaked figure, who was knocked backward into the damp wall. Jack and Sam tried fervently to hop over to the door, to escape.

The figure regained his footing with alarming speed and yelled at them in a language that would have been foreign even to Daniel. "Hashak, di dou treg! Di da pawm dir gat."

"Ya know Carter, I really don't think he's welcoming us to his humble abode."

The figure stalked back over to the officers, brandishing what looked like an ordinary baseball bat, he snarled, "Spar di recht, grar bret zaugreu!"

"Who are you?" Jack yelled back at the alien. "Where are we? Why have you brought us here?"

The figure swung the baseball bat and struck Jack in the temple, he fell taking Sam with him. The figure left two bowls, that must have contained sustenance, lying on the floor. He then swept out of the room with his, swoosh-swoosh, leaving Sam shivering next to an unconscious Jack.


	5. Chapter 5

"Sir, you need to eat. It doesn't taste the greatest but, I'm not dead yet." Sam gave the half-conscious Jack a small smile, knowing he couldn't see it, but passing it anyway. She pushed him a small bowl full of sludge.

"They untied us." Jack flexed his arms in front of him, stating the obvious.

"I think it would be more accurate to say _he_ did." Sam stood and walked over to him. "He is the only being I've seen."

"How long was I out?" Jack hadn't made a move towards the bowl.

"Nearly three hours by my watch."

"What have you been doing?"

"First I walked around the perimeter of our cell, looking for a way out, but it seems you were correct in thinking we are underground. We are entirely surrounded by stone, except for the door. I then kicked and hollered at the door, I'm surprised I didn't wake you. However that was completely useless so I sat and thought."

"For three hours? About what?"

"Martouf mostly." She stopped there and Jack didn't pry. As much as he wanted to help her, they had more pressing issues. And the temperature was not getting any warmer.

"God it's cold in here!" he said changing the subject.

"Yes, I think I know why now. When our captor came to untie the ropes he touched my skin and burned me. It seems his body temperature is extremely high compared to ours. This climate is probably quite comfortable for him."

"Maybe, but not for us. How are you holding up?"

"I'm not cold anymore, my entire body is numb." Sam gave a small laugh. "So much for fishing huh?"

Jack stood up next to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his chest. She was as cold as ice, he allowed her to steal his body heat. "We're going to get out of here, and I'm going to teach you how to catch the biggest fish in the lake."

Sam remained quiet, savoring the feeling of being so close to him, even under such brutal conditions. "Is that a threat sir?"

"It's a promise Carter." He rested his chin on her head. He had noticed she had started with the "sir's" again but he didn't bother to correct her, figuring that "sir" was the strong, resilient, military leader she could always count on to be there for her. The "colonel" had all the power, the possibilities, and had the knowledge and skill to get out of sticky situations. Jack was just the fun-loving guy she had fallen in love with so long ago.

"Sir, what is the real reason you asked me to come with you?" Sam pulled back from his embrace immediately regretting it when the cold air rushed across her body once again.

"I wanted your company."

"No, there was something else that made you come after me when I declined the second time."

Jack knew he would have to tell her the truth and right now seemed as good a time as any. "I was concerned... actually Daniel and I were... well really it was Daniel's idea..."

Sam looked up at him with raised eyebrows waiting for him to spit it out. 

"After everything that's happened, with Martouf, and between us, Daniel and I were concerned for your well being. You were doing a lot of work lately, more than usual, and he thought it would be good for you to get out of the office and get your mind off things. So I invited you up here, well not here, but to my cabin, you know what I mean. Thought it might be fun." He gave a small shrug and looked around him not really to see anything, more something to do, his face started to show signs of guilt. "Really it's my fault you're stuck here in the first place."

Jack felt, more than saw the tear fall down Sam's face. He pulled her close to his body once more, tucking her head underneath his chin. "God, I'm so sorry Sam... for everything."

He felt her physically breakdown in his arms, it took most of his strength just to keep her standing. "It's not your fault, sir. I'm glad I'm here with you. I'd rather face your worst enemy with you than let you face it alone." She glanced down where she knew the bowl was, "Sir, you really need to eat."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry I didn't get this chapter out yesterday, but this one took some thinking. I'll try my hardest to get another one out today as well to make it up to you. The more reviews I get, the more likely that will happen!

"I win again." Sam looked up from the ground and passed Jack the sharp stone they had been using to play tick-tack-toe on the rocks beneath them. At first Sam had wanted to find a way out, but it seemed that their only chance of escape was to wait until Swoosh came back again. Jack had named their captor, feeling that calling him, 'Him' wasn't very fitting.

"It looks like a tie to me Carter." They had moved in front of the door, not only so they could hear Swoosh coming back, but it was the only place they had enough light to seethe floor in order to play.

"You started first so I win by default." Neither person wanted to play the child's game but it really was the only thing for them to do. Swoosh had not made another appearance since he had untied them, it had been well over 10 hours.

"Did I ever tell you I despise scientists?" Sam's eyelids were beginning to droop, but was afraid that if she fell asleep, she would be more susceptible to hypothermia. Jack had begun to fatigue as well and he knew that is Swoosh didn't come back soon, he and Carter would have no choice but to rest for awhile, even Carter couldn't stay awake forever.

"You may have mentioned it once, or twice." Sam rolled her shoulders and shifted to a more comfortable position against the wall. "Or one hundred times."

Jack gave a huge yawn just then, "Excuse me. Why do you think Swoosh is keeping us here?" He asked the same question for the fourth time that day, Sam still didn't have an answer.

"I don't know Sir. But it would be a lot easier to find out if he showed up to chat a little more often." Sam knew he was just asking the question to keep them both alert, sleep was a luxury they couldn't afford at the moment.

They both remained silent for time, not sure what to talk about. For the first half hour Sam had argued with Jack, trying to get him to eat something. She had finally managed to get him to put it in his mouth only for it to be spat across the room at high velocity. Jack claimed the top layer of the mush had frozen solid. The rest of the time they hadn't talked about anything specific. Jack had started in about hockey, until Sam had started explaining the physics of the game. They had moseyed around the topic of Martouf and the past few weeks. Sam didn't give any information and Jack didn't ask.

"You would think that he would have let his plans for us become apparent by now." Jack looked at Sam bewildered, for a second he did not seem to know where he was, but the truth sank back in quickly.

"You would think, but no one can read the mind of a crazy alien."

By the look Sam was giving him, she didn't whole-heartedly agree with that statement. They had encountered too many strange things for her not to believe almost anything.

"Well, we can't, at least not yet."

Silence consumed them again. Sam's head started to slip down on to her chest. Knowing it was pointless to keep her awake, no matter what she said, Jack stood and picked her up. He carried her over to the middle of the room, where he laid he down. His hand ran down her cheek, she was so beautiful, his perfect angel. He never wanted any harm to come to her, but how could he insure that on this unfamiliar place? It was so tempting for him to lay down next to her. To hold her in the cold night, shield her body with his own. But the military man inside of him took over, he straightened from his crouched position and regained his place by the door. He didn't sit, but paced in front of it, determined to stay awake until Sam had had as much sleep as possible. He didn't have long to wait however. Sam had been out for a mere 20 minutes before she joined him at the door.

"Go back to sleep Carter." The defiant look in her eyes made him add, "That's an order."

"No Sir. I'll be fine as long as I have something to do."

"Sorry Carter but I'm fresh out of alien technology."

"I know Sir, I just want to talk." Tears had formed in her eyes as she talked. She needed to get all her feelings off her chest. The burden was too much for her to carry any longer.

Jack saw the hurt in her eyes and put his hand on her arm and led her back from the door. His reason was for privacy, not from Swoosh, as he would have told Sam, it was likely he wasn't coming back for a long time. He didn't want Sam to see him cry, because she was going to and if she did, there was a good chance he wouldn't be able to stop himself. No, better to talk in the dark.

"I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything just listen."

"Ok."

Sam sat down on the stones and brought her knees to her chest, waiting for Jack to sit next to her. He sat and she started talking about all the things that had happened, starting with when the forceshield had separated them in the Goa'uld ship. She told him how it had felt to see him, not being able to reach him yet, they were so close. She talked through all the time until she had killed Martouf. Her voice broke there and she choked on her words. Jack didn't know if he should hold her, if she wanted to be held. If he should interrupt, or say something. He didn't know what to say so he just remained quiet and didn't move, he waited for Sam to get her voice back.

"I nearly died, when I saw him fall to the ground. I ran over to him, supported his head in my lap, though I knew he was gone. The worst part is I didn't shoot him just to save him the agony of doing it to himself, but I wanted his brain intact so we could find a way to stop anymore Zatarc's in the future."

Unable to remain silent any longer Jack touched Sam on the leg so she would look at him. "That's what he wanted Sam. He wanted to help everyone else, even when there was no hope for him."

Sam cried even harder, Jack's eyes watered, not for Martouf but for Sam. All the heartache she went through on a daily basis, he knew what it was like, knew how it was to cry on the inside every day. He had done it for his son, after he lost him, he had holed himself into his own world. Pretending nothing bothered him. He couldn't pretend any longer and he cried.


	7. Chapter 7

Jack held Sam dry-eyed. He thought she might have fallen asleep again until she reached for his hand. He gave her a squeeze, "You okay?"

"I will be." Sam looked up at him. "Thank you."

"Anytime." He gave her a genuine O'Neill smile.

"Jack..." Sam looked as thought she had wanted to say something very important, but was not sure if she could.

Jack was slightly startled when she used his first name. "Yes?"

She lowered her eyes almost embarrassed. "Never mind." It was hardly more than a whisper.

"Sam, if..."

"No."

"Alright."

"Thanks."

Silence engulfed them. Sam snuggled deeper into Jack's arms. He didn't say anything, wanting to help, but not knowing how.

"You want to play eye-spy?"

She laughed into his shirt. "I'll guess first..." She made a great show of looking around. "...darkness?"

"I was going to say the most beautiful woman I've seen all day."

Sam was suddenly very grateful it was so dark. She could feel her cheeks turning red. She became slightly uncomfortable, he was showing her a side of himself she hardly ever say, even if it was through joking.

"Ok, maybe not. Twenty Questions?"

Swoosh-swoosh. Swoosh-swoosh.

"Swoosh." She stood up.

"How'd you know?"

He came swooshing around the corner and to their cell. "You will die." His voice showed no emotion.

"Excuse me."

"You speak English." Sam noted what Jack had taken for granted.

"Your language is not complex. It was easy to learn."

"Anywho, back to the dying part. Are you saying we're going to die like every human eventually, or you're going to kill us?"

"You will die. I will kill you."

"I hate it when I'm right."

Sam gave Jack a look that seemed to say that wasn't often. She turned back to Swoosh. "Why, exactly, do you want to kill us?"

"You committed a crime."

"And for that we're going to be killed?"

"You committed a crime. One punishable by death."

"What crime?" Jack certainly wasn't happy with the way this conversation was heading.

"A crime against my people. You committed a crime.. One punishable by death."

"What did we do?"

"You broke the law. A crime against my people. You committed a crime.. One punishable...."

"By death. So you said." Jack finished for him. He turned to Sam, "Is it me or are we getting no where?"

Sam took over the questioning for him. "Um, what's your name?"

"I am called Swush."

Sam and Jack exchanged looks. "Ok, Swush. We want to know exactly what we have done. To break the law and when we did it."

"You came to our planet, one year ago exactly. You broke the law. A crime against my people. You committed..."

"Yes Swush we committed a crime. One punishable by death." Sam felt as though she were talking to a child. She realized that this alien was not the same one who had apprehended them earlier. He had had more anger in his voice, Swush seemed almost innocent.

"Swush, can we speak to your superiors?"

"You will speak to me."

Jack went along with Sam not sure what her plan was, or if she had one, but assumed it was better than running in circles. "We will talk to your superiors!" Jack emphasized his point by reaching through the bars in the door and grabbed the aliens cloaked throat. 

Spluttering, Swush bobbed his head up and down. "I-i-i will get him."

Jack loosened his hold and Swush ran down the corridor coughing.

Not too long after the alien who untied them earlier showed up. "You will die."

"I'm really getting sick of that greeting." Jack took a step toward the alien. "So will you, eventually."

"We want to know what we did wrong." Holding up a hand, Sam anticipated what was coming and said, "We know we have broken the law and committed a crime against your people."

Jack added, "One punishable by death. We know."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry this took so long. Back to school now and not so much free time. But inspiration has struck. Feedback as always is greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I did use a quote from 'Galaxy Quest' in this chapter....

"He said it was one year ago exactly." Sam was trying to get more information out of the alien who they had learned went by the name of Swish.

"Yes, it will be the exact moment of the crime in five of your hours. That is when you will be punished." The alien growled at them.

"Five hours."

Jack had been waiting while Sam gently coaxed knowledge out of Swish. He couldn't stay quiet any longer. "What did we do?" He tried not to scream, failing miserably. "Yes we broke your law, a crime against your people, one punishable by death. But what law? Where were we? Where are we now?"

The cloaked alien stood silently. "You broke the law of never speaking in the temple of the God. You were and are now, on our home world, Atensha."

"P4X 275." Realization dawned in Sam's eyes.

"Carter?"

"It was one of our first missions. We found an isolated group of Re's followers. We led most to believe that he was not a god, and that he had been killed."

"Lies!" Reaching his arm through the bars, Swish made a move to strike Sam. Jack's training took over and he stepped in front of her, trying to block the alien's blow. However, Swish was too strong and too fast, hitting Jack across his face with his severing claws. "You will pay for your insolence to your God! Your time is near." With that he swooshed off down the hall.

"Colonel! Are you okay?"

He was lying on the floor, half stunned by the slashing claws. His face was bleeding freely. Three cuts worked their way across his face, one had narrowly missed his eye, cutting over his nose. His wounds made Sam wince, though they were superficial, the cuts were not a pretty sight.

He looked at her through his fingers that were stemming the flow of blood so he could see. "That bad?" He tore off a piece of his shirt and held it took the wounds. "So Carter, you've got five hours to find a way out of here."

"I don't think that's going to happen sir."

"I know we tried that, nothing happened, so we waited for diplomacy," he nearly spat the word. "well we gave that a shot and look what happened. So I suggest you get cracking." He went over and patted the barred entrance. He muttered under his breath, "just a couple of claymors..."

"Sir, that would not be a good idea."

"Yeah, probably start a cave-in, but there must be a way. And I'm ordering you to find it."

"I can't sir." Sam shook her head. "It's not possible."

"And why not?" Though Jack usually a lot of patience with Carter, he could tell his reserve was running dry.

"Even if we did escape, where would we go? We have no idea where we are. We could be miles beneath the surface." She sighed and slid down the wall. As if resigned to her fate she said, "There's no hope." 

Jack gave her a strange look. "What has gotten into you Carter?"

"Sir?"

"Where is that stubborn, sharp-as-a-tack, Air Force Major I know? What ever happened to go-down-fighting? Never give up! Never surrender!" He looked at her sadly, "you know..." He added quietly to himself, 'the woman I'm in love with.'

"That's not me. I can't do that."

"Of course you can."

"I can't." 

"Would you stop saying that." He fought to control his temper, determined not to lose it here.

Sam stared mournfully up at him. At first he though she would cry, but then something strange happened, something not normal. Her pupils began to dilate, growing larger, they became less round and took on more of a squarish shape. Then as quickly as it happened, they returned to normal. Jack stood stunned.

He didn't have long to brood over the oddity. Swush had materialized at their door once again. This time, however, he wasn't alone. Two figures stood silently flanking him. Jack approached and the light fell across them. Jack's heart skipped a beat.

A/N: Don't give up on Sam she hasn't lost it totally. Hope to have the next chapter up today.


	9. Chapter 9

As the dim light fell across the features of the two men standing in the hall, a smile lit up Jack's face. "Hey guys!"

Teal'c and Daniel remained quiet. But Daniel gave him a sarcastic smile. When Swush opened the door, Teal'c stepped in willingly. Daniel assumed it was best to follow his lead, joined him.

"Well, it's nice to have the team back together again." Jack gestured to the ground. "Pull up some floor, make yourselves comfortable. Our cell is your cell, while you tell us the plan."

Sam stood and wrapped her arms around Daniel, he felt her shivering and wondered how long they had been here. He knew that wherever they were, it wasn't the happiest place in the galaxy, assuming they were in their galaxy. He had been hopeful that after this break she would be more of her old self. He had expected Jack to take her fishing, not abducted. She gave him a small smile, then went to hug Teal'c, who responded stiffly. 

Jack clapped Daniel on the shoulder, "Tell me you've got a plan."

"Sorry, I'm not even sure why we're here." He sat down next to Jack on the cool rock. Eyeing his face concerned he asked, "What happened to you?"

"Had a little misunderstanding with our... um, friend. It's not a big deal."

"Oh." Daniel was not surprised at this news.

Jack changed the subject, not needing the winces from Daniel. "So, you haven't heard about our crime?"

"Crime?"

"Oh yes. We seem to have broken one of their laws, when we were here the first time. It seems that it was a crime against their people."

Sam chimed in, "One punishable by death."

"Did you say we were here before?"

"Yeah, we met a group of Re's followers and we led them in some kind of revolt or something. That was when we spoke in the *temple of the God.*" He added sarcastically, "That was a mistake.

"P4X 275."

"How do you remember that?"

Ignoring the question, Daniel went on. "But that was nearly a year ago. Why are they coming after us now?"

"Well it seems they celebrate anniversaries."

Daniel shot a questioning look at Sam.

She explained, "It will be the exact time of the crime in a little less than five hours. That's when they're going to kill us."

"Great."

Swoosh-swoosh. Swoosh-swoosh.

Jack went to stand by the door. "Our friend's coming."

Swush showed up with four bowls of the mush. He slid them into the cell and swooshed off again. 

Jack watched him step around the corner, "He's a cheerful fella. He then turned his attention to the contents of the bowls suspiciously. "Not this again."

Sam passed Daniel the 'food,' "Don't listen to him, it's not that bad." She offered some to Jack, but he simply turned up his nose. "Fine, miss your final meal."

"That is definitely not what I would choose for my final meal. And it even doesn't matter because we *are* going to find a way out of here." He stopped to stare at Teal'c, who was greedily lapping at the mush. "Hungry?" 

Jack side-stepped to the other two. "He's acting a bit strange don't ya think? I mean he never was a man of many words, but this is ridiculous. He can't even spare a feeble hello for his buddy?"

Daniel explained that Teal'c had not spoken to him much either. "Maybe he's sick."

Jack and Sam raised their eyebrows.

"It's just a thought." He turned back to his mush.

*****

"So, how long have you been here?" Daniel asked ten minutes later.

Jack checked his watch. "14 hours, 21 minutes, and 4, no 5 seconds."

"Wow. I was only here 2 hours before they threw us in here with you." He looked at Teal'c who remained silent. "He's been here for nearly two days I think. They must have picked him up on Chulak first." Teal'c said nothing. They had been trying to get Teal'c to speak, to no avail. Daniel decided to change the subject. "What have you been doing all this time?"

Glancing over at the very visible games of tic-tac-toe on the floor by the door, Jack responded, "Oh, keeping busy."

"I bet."

Jack looked at Daniel. "You know, we still need to get out of here."

"We can't."

"Whatcha mean, _we can't?" _

It was Teal'c who had spoken. Jack was surprised by the sound of his voice, higher than usual, though not startling. It had a growl that had never been there before. "We must not leave."

"Don't even tell me that we deserve this."

Teal'c said nothing more, Sam spoke for him. "We have no hope of escape."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this, especially from you two." Jack stood and walked over to the door. "You don't agree with them, do you?" The question was directed at Daniel.

"No. Of course we have to get out of here."

"We can not!" Teal'c growled at Daniel. He had stood up and hovered over Daniel, seemingly poised to attack, when something inside of him realized what he was doing. But before Teal'c had changed his mind and backed off, Daniel had seen it. His eyes, something strange had happened. The pupils had dilated and become a perfect square. 'What the hell?'

A/N: As a first time writer I really want to know what you think, good or bad. Constructive criticism is always appreciated. I look to you great people out there for writing inspiration.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Wow! Thanks for all the reviews people. Love ya! So, a lot of people wanted more Sam/Jack, there is some in this chapter, but the most influential bit will probably not come until the next. Hope you still enjoy.

"Jack, did you see that?" After the odd behavior from Teal'c, Daniel went to seek private counsel from Jack.

"See what?" He was intently studying the door, not really looking for anything, but desperately hoping something would pop out at him so that they could escape from this underground prison. 

"Teal'c, his eyes."

This statement snapped Jack back to Daniel. "They didn't get all square did they?"

"How'd you know?"

"I saw the same thing in Sam," Daniel raised his eyebrows but remained silent, "when I was arguing with her that we needed to find a way to leave."

"It's spreading?" Daniel wondered.

"No, this was before you guys showed up."

"Well, then how?"

Jack thought for a moment. Suddenly the frightening truth hit him. "The food."

"You mean the food I ate?"

"What else could it be, you saw how Teal'c went after it." 

"But then why hasn't it affected me?"

"It must take a while to work." Jack gave him a concerned look. "You still want to leave right?"

Daniel looked at him as if he had grown an extra head. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, it hasn't affected you yet."

Daniel added his dry humor, "Good to know."

Now Jack was worried, if all of his friends were infected, with whatever was in the mush, he would be alone in getting free, unless he found some way to counteract the drug. There was nothing he could do at the moment, he was sunk, especially without Sam's help. Sam, he was even more concerned for Sam, he didn't know if there were any other negative side-effects that had yet to make an appearance.

Suddenly, wanting to be close to her, he strode across the room and sat down next to her on the floor. She looked at him with sad, normal, round eyes. The other side of her didn't appear unless provoked, he reasoned. Without a word, she snuggled into his arms, not caring that Daniel and Teal'c were there. She was ice-cold, but then again so was Jack. He wondered if it were any warmer, he would feel any better, probably not. He tried not to think about the predicament they were in. The situation certainly did seem hopeless, which made Jack wonder if the drug was somehow remotely having an effect on him, or they really were doomed.

Sam inched deeper into his embrace, just wanting to be close, never wanting to lose him. Her life was a string of crash courses. How many times they had been inches from death, only to be pulled out again, by friendship, bravery, a well timed change of heart. It made her wonder if there really was such a thing as luck, or if it was just an idea people had created to measure how good of friends people had. In the end it boiled down to friends, and maybe people slightly more than that, they made the most difference in a person's life. 

Next to Teal'c, Daniel sat with his back against the wall. Thought the room was not too wide, he could barely make out Sam and Jack's forms huddled together on the opposite side of the room. He smiled despite himself. They really were always there for each other, as they had been there for them in the past, and he for them. He could feel the bond they had with one another, seen it tested and hold in dire situations. Teal'c, he knew, felt it as well, though he would never say anything. Daniel felt dead inside, knowing that in a short time he would undoubtedly be affected by the drug. He planned to hold out as long as possible, but the fact that Teal'c had succumbed to the narcotic did not raise his spirits. If a Jaffa warrior couldn't beat it, the odds did not look good for a dewby archeologist. He put his hand on Teal'c's strong shoulder. "Hey friend, I haven't given up hope on you yet."

Jack lowered his head and planted a soft kiss in Sam's hair, she still smelled sweet. She felt it and looked up a him and smiled. God, he loved her smile. He enjoyed the fact that he could still put one on her face no matter what the circumstance.

His mind drifted through the times he had spent with her. The impending doom, they always seemed to avoid, sticky situations that never ran out of glue. He marveled at their luck, no matter how many times they died, mentally or literally, they were all still here. He was here, Daniel, Teal'c and Sam, together, no matter what. This time it would be no different. Jack sat quietly and thought of a plan, refraining from telling Daniel, knowing he would be compromised by the time he could put it into use.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Real sorry this took so long. Haven't exactly been in a writing mood recently, but it came back to me. So... hope you like.

"Hey Daniel, you still here?" Jack leaned over him. "Danny? Still with me?"

"When am I not?"

Jack raised an eyebrow, restrained from saying, 'A lot,' and asked again. "You still want to get out of here?"

"Get out?"

"Ya, you know, _leave_?"

"We must not!" It was Teal'c who had spoken. 

He jumped to his feet. Daniel added his thought, "How could we leave here? It is not permitted." Sam was not far behind to agree with them. His three team mates advanced on him, slowly closing the distance between them. The emotions on their faces were shared, deep, fierce, anger. Daniel was pushing up his sleeves, Sam raised her clenched fists. He looked at her, he never thought he would ever be on the receiving end of a punch from one of his friends, especially his 2IC.

Jack gave an awkward laugh, "I guess I have my answer."

They kept coming. Jack had to step back to keep from being bowled over by Teal'c, he was fast approaching the corner, escape routes cut off.

"Ok guys, I gotcha. You can back off now. Really! You can stop." His back hit the wall. Daniel stepped forward, his pupils enlarged to become quadratic. 

"We can not leave!"

"I got that, but *why* not? I mean, if we can't leave, fine. But I need to know why."

For a second, they all looked taken aback. It seemed to Jack that either they didn't have a clue, or it was so obvious to them, they must have thought he was an idiot.

Daniel, retaining his articulate self, recovered quickly, "Why, does not matter, the point is we must not."

"Am I the only one who's noticed how odd you guys are acting?"

They did not look convinced but they did back up enough so that Jack had more breathing room. They must have decided he was not a risk to their objective or whatever they were doing.

__

Swoosh-swoosh. _Swoosh-swoosh_.

Jack visibly tensed, "He has great timing doesn't he?" He tried to remain nonchalant, as his mind was whirring rapidly, this was the moment he had been waiting for.

A grating sound as the door slid open. Swush stepped into the room and everyone turned to face him expectantly. Jack, however, didn't skip a beat. He had bolted around Teal'c and was out the door before anyone could make a move.

Adrenaline kicked in, as he sped around a bend. He was dashing through the corridors, not sure where he was headed. His head was so boggled it took him nearly a minute before he realized he was not being pursued. Slowing to a walk he took a right turn and found himself in what appeared to be a giant octagonal congregation hall. 

It was much brighter here, and the light was hurting his eyes that had been stuck in a tomb for a day. Thankfully, he was in good shape and his breathing was light and regular. In front of him, stood three giant stone seats. In the backs were carved symbols of what might have been animals, if not that none of them seemed to have bodies, just heads and appendages.

"Alright," he spoke out loud, "if we have been to this planet before, why don't I remember that?" He wondered what on earth he was going to do. Thus far he had followed the plan, get out of the cell, run, and improvise. Right so on with the improvisation.

A slight sound caused him to turn. A shadow was playing across the floor. Jack had no time to hide before Daniel stepped around the corner. It was almost a relief.

"Hey Danny, so what do you think that symbolizes?" He pointed to the bodiless carvings. No answer, not that he had really expected one. Daniel stepped closer, and it was clear he intended to take Jack under his control. A few more steps. "Daniel, it's me, Jack. You remember, we're best friends. No matter how much I complain about your annoying habits, you're like family. Next to Teal'c you're one of the few people who I would want watching my back. I don't how we are going to get out of this mess, but I'll find a way. I'm sure it would be much easier with your help.

Daniel was not affected at all by this and he had started to reach for Jack, so he could steer him back to the cell. Jack wriggled out of his grasp, causing Daniel to grab him a bit more firmly around the shoulders this time. Jack gave him a knee to the stomach and twisted, but Daniel was much too strong. Much stronger than he ever had been.

Daniel flung off balance by the kick, swung toward the ground with Jack in front. As they hit Jack felt something pop, and Daniel's elbow came directly into the ribcage. However Daniel recovered quickly and pulled himself and Jack to their feet. 

Swooshing noises were coming from outside, Swush and Swish came jaunting into the room, one was brandishing the baseball bat. One blow to the head and Jack was out.

He came to gradually, and before he opened his eyes, knew he was back in the cell. The stench of it had become quite familiar. Tentatively, he reached up and felt a massive bump growing on the left side of his head. Jack sat up and saw that Sam was watching him closely. He didn't know how long he had been out and checked his watch. He looked away, stopped, and looked again. No, his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, there were only about twenty minutes before the five hour deadline was up. Sam was still looking at him. She didn't seem to be angry with him. It was like she wasn't aware of what had happened a several hours ago. "Hey."

"One subject does not appear to be affected." A voice growled out. He was talking about the recent incident with Jack.

"Yes, Colonel O'Neill was not infected for a reason." Swish loomed over Swush. "As I have told you, we can not lose him. He is the asset that is most required. You must not allow him to interfere with the others. Go now, the time is near."

"But... I don't understand why we need him. Can we not live without the important information he carries?"

"Could a butterfly live its life without flying? But then would it still be a butterfly?"

Swush did not understand.

"You ask too many questions, you would do well to trust me. Now, go!"

Swush followed the order and left the room.

"Sir, time is near. This is the end."

Her statement caught Jack off guard.

__

Swoosh-swoosh. _Swoosh-swoosh_.

"He is coming so that we may pay penance for our crime with our lives."

"There was no crime, I don't even think we've been here before."

__

Swoosh-swoosh. _Swoosh-swoosh_.

Sam was convinced that she was going to die today. Jack saw the resolution in her eyes. He would find a way out of this somehow. They would together.

They were all on their feet ready to do the bidding of Swush. Jack was next to Sam. She was getting closer to him.

__

Swoosh-swoosh. He had come around the corner.

Sam took one more step, so close to Jack she could see the beads of sweat on his forehead. 

__

Swoosh-swoosh. _Swoosh-swoosh_. He appeared outside the cell, "Samantha Carter will follow me." There was a hint of pleasure in his voice, as if he was about to have the time of his life.

Taking a risk, Sam did the only thing she would have to regret if she didn't do it before she died. She plunged forward and brought her lips to Jack's. He stood stock still. Not knowing what to do, he kissed her back. The kiss was electric, all of the emotions they had had to keep hidden for so long were pulled to the surface. It didn't last long enough for the couple, Swush had entered and pulled her away from Jack. He tried to lunge forward and bring her back to him but, he was held by Teal'c and Daniel on each arm.

He called to her, "Sam! Sam!" She dissappeared from view. "SAM...!" Jack collapsed in his friends arms, he didn't care about anything more at that moment than getting Sam back, and keeping her safe. He had promised to protect her. He was going to.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Ok, I know this took forever, but for those of you who didn't give up hope on me, I hope it's worth it.

Moments later, Teal'c and Daniel were lugged off by Swush and Swish. Jack had watched them follow the two aliens down the hallway and around the corner. He had screamed after them. Pleaded to know what was going on, where Sam had been taken, he didn't get an answer.

Now Jack was alone in the cell. He had to get out. Find Sam. Save her. And Daniel, and Teal'c. Had to be free...

Swush came swooshing back to him, when he came to unlock the door Jack yelled at him. "What is going on here?!? Where have you taken them?" Jack didn't get an answer. Swush grabbed the him by the arm and escorted him out of the cell. His captor's bare skin seared through the fabric on his shirt, his skin began to burn, he hardly noticed. Jack tried to wrench away from the grasp but it was hopeless. Swush was too strong.

Hallway after hallway passed before his eyes. Jack strained to discern one from another. To him he was lost in an impenetrable labyrinth. His only guide his own hatred of the figure leading him.

His body felt weak from the lack of food, his lips were parched and his throat sore. What he needed was water, sweet, clear, refreshing water. Jack shook his head to clear the thoughts, he needed to stay focused.

Their journey ended in front of an ornate wooden door situated between the red rock. This door, like the chairs Jack had seen in the congregation room was engraved with figures. Bodiless figures. He may have wondered what it meant if his mind had been a little less foggy.

Swush pulled open the door and shoved Jack through it. He ended up in a room that he would have described as lavish compared to his previous surroundings. In one corner stood a high-backed velvet armchair and in another a silent divan. On the rock floor laid a large rush mat. On a table nearby, sat bowls of what must have been fruit, and a beaker of some kind of liquid. Jack stared at it hungrily, but did not make a move, it was probably drugged as well.

"It is perfectly safe." Swush read Jack's mind. He went over and bit into what looked like a pear. Holding it up, as though to admire it in the light, he praised, "Fruit of the Gods." His voice was still a grating growl yet it carried a note of ironic hospitality. He offered Jack the bowl.

"Where are my friends?"

"Curious. They betray you and yet you still call them friends. It is amazing the bond you humans share."

"They were not acting of their own free will. You are the ones who drugged them, turned them against me."

"That is only an assumption. How can you be sure that they were 'drugged'?" "Food?" He offered the bowl again.

Jack glared at the being. Loathing every inch of space it occupied. He wondered if he had ever been as angry as he was at the moment. Suddenly, his vision began to blur, as though someone was finger-painting over his eyes. He could tell Swush was still holding out the bowl of fruit, an amused smirk on his ugly face. Unable to contain the emotions any longer, Jack lunged for Swush, his body making contact and knocking them both to the ground. Before Jack was able to regain his footing, Swush had stood up and was leering above him. The smirk still on his face. Jack stumbled to his feet, a blind rage had taken control of him, and he lunged for Swush once again, but this time something changed. Swush was no longer there, instead his body had been replaced by that of Maybourne.

Jack straightened up. "What the hell are you doing here?" He was too out of it to care that Maybourne had just morphed from the figure of an alien. 

Maybourne stood calmly, and looked Jack up and down, he didn't look so good. With the cuts on his face, one very obvious bump on his head, and a burn on his upper left arm, one might have thought he was having a rough couple of days, but Maybourne showed no pity in his stoic expression. "Why shouldn't I be here?"

Jack didn't know what to think.

"Isn't the more relevant question, what are you doing here?" Maybourne smiled.

Jack stared at him open mouthed.

"You are the one who was captured and brought here against your will in the first place, and then you are faced with the difficulty of being trapped with the one person you care about more than anything in the world, well where is Major Carter now?

Feeling sick to his stomach, Jack backed up a few steps. Guilt was overpowering his senses.

"You tell yourself everyday that you will take care of her, you can't even protect yourself, how could you be expected to be responsible for someone else? And now you don't know where she is, let alone Daniel or Teal'c."

Jack swallowed, "That's not true, I can protect her, I can save her."

"Will you take care of her as you did your son?"

Jack stared at Maybourne wide-eyed. "Charlie? What does he have to do with this?"

"Everything." Maybourne replied simply before walking towards the door. "Just wait." And with that he vanished down the hall.

The colonel was feeling weak-kneed. He backed up into the corner and sat down in the chair. He set his head in his hands. The whole situation was getting worse by the minute. What he needed know was to think, and think fast. Nothing came to his mind. The same questions were running through his mind, where was the rest of his team? what was he doing here? and most of all, what did Charlie have to do with the matter?


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: When I first started writing this fic, I had something totally different in mind, but after a long look through I found that it needed to be tweaked, and this is what I have resolved on.

And once again, thank you to everyone who reviewed, you don't know how much it means to me.

"What have we here?"

Jack heard the words, they drifted across his mind, nearly drowned out by the pounding in his temples. Yet, they held no meaning. He wasn't able to focus any longer.

"I really wish you would eat, it is much easier to speak with someone when they can form coherent thoughts." Swush was standing over him, again offering the bowl of fruit.

Jack shook his head, and ran his hands through already grimy hair.

"I see, you wish to have an explanation before you can trust me. Well, where should I start? I would imagine you are wondering where you are and why you are here. As you have undoubtedly guessed you have never been here before, I had Swish feed you that lie in hopes you would be more manageable. Unfortunately, I seem to have been mistaken. You are in fact, many light years from your home world, on a planet known as _Trelang._ Not that you have heard of it of course." Swush grabbed a fruit from the bowl and took an enormous bite. The purple juice ran down his chin, "Sure you don't want any? The _rantigas_ happen to be my favorite you know. No, well then, where was I? Ah, yes, why you are here. For your full understanding of the situation I think it prudent you know some background information on my people..."

And Swush droned on from there, his harsh voice cut through the stale air at a regular pace, making Jack even more lethargic. Occasionally, the voice would rise to a wrenching crescendo, as if he were relaying a battle scene, only for it to fall back again to the billowing beat.

"That is why we are forced to live underground now, the radiation had spiked our body temperatures so high, that we had to find alternate means of survival. And as for the other after effects of the accident, we have no more connection between our people, no way to become one and work together, my world is ripped apart by war and devastation, and I... need.... help."

Jack remained motionless, not knowing what to think, not thinking much at all. His head hurt, his throat screamed, his eyes drooped, and his heart full of lead, was threatening to drop to the depths of his stomach if the weight were not relieved soon.

Swush waited for Jack to speak, finally Jack managed to rasp out, "What do you want from us? And what does Charlie have to do with it?"

"I have been studying your unit, SG-1 you call yourselves, for quite some time, and I have seen the bond of friendship you share. I wish for you to give me your bond so I can use it to unite my people. As for your son, his death seems to be the one thing that has landed you here, it was why you became involved with the Stargate project, and so I found you, and how I knew you were the person who could give me what I need."

"Oh fer cryin' out loud, what can I give you?"

"You have already lost one bond, between you and your son, I ask you to lose another, the one between you and your comrades."

"You just can't ask for friendship and trust, they can't be taken." Jack knocked his head back against the wall, where was Daniel when you needed him. No wonder these people couldn't get along, they didn't get it. "You have to earn them from one another, they are, and can only be, freely given to you."

"Freely given?" Swush seemed baffled by such a concept. "No, that is not possible."

Jack stared at him, enraged by his ignorance and exhausted by the effort at the same time.

"I will just have to try another way to take it."

"Another?" Jack didn't understand what he meant.

Swush started pacing around the room, seemingly as annoyed with Jack, as Jack was with him. He started talking, but he seemed to be talking to himself more than to Jack. "First I try to study you closer by bringing you into a situation where you can only count on each other, I still did not see. Second, I try to turn your friends against you so that you may sever the bond and I may take it, yet you still hold the bond strong, believing sabotage in their minds rather than betrayal to a friend. I see that I am still not understanding what it is to be like you, human. And so I study your emotions, hatred towards Maybourne, love for your son, guilt at losing him. I understand I need emotions to have the bonds, but I can not see these emotions so how could I take them?"

Jack was dumbfounded, Swush was trying to literally take the bond he had between his friends and between his son. And to do this he was trying to understand emotions and take them as well. Swush thought that things like, love, loyalty and trust were materials to be handed over at a simple request, what kind of backassward world did this alien live on anyway?

"Your son, Charlie, was and still is a big part of your life, you humans have the strongest bonds in families, and on my world it should be the same, I know this. Now, as a last resort, I ask you to give the bond up, and you lie to keep it, saying they can only be given freely when I know this cannot be the case. I must find another way... if only it were broken by another means...."

Swush looked up surprised, an idea had come into his literal mind. He spoke again, this time directly to Jack. "You will eat and rest, restore your strength and tomorrow I shall have what I want." with that Swush walked out of the room.


	14. Chapter 14

Jack watched the door swing shut and lock in place behind Swush and his flowing robes. Knowing it would be useless; Jack jumped up and shouted at the unknown outside in the hall. "You can't do this! I'll never give you what you want so you might as well let my friends and I out of this place."

There, of course, was no answer.

He kicked the door in frustration, only to come out of it with an aching foot.

His head hurt, his foot hurt, and most of all his brain hurt. Jack didn't like trying to convince people who were so firmly set in their ways as Swush seemed to be in his.

Jack made his way slowly and deliberately towards the table that had the food and drink on it. His stomach was growling, and even if the food was drugged it wouldn't matter Jack couldn't give Swush what he wanted anyway. He looked at the bowl of fruit and studied it closely, carefully trying to decide which one to take. It was obvious to him at this point that Swush was telling the truth, he couldn't think of any reason why an alien would make up such an insane story only for the sake of telling it. And now, Jack also knew that he had to eat something if he wanted to get himself and the rest of his team out of here.

He tried to remember how this whole mess had started, a vacation, just a simple trip to the cabin. Jack couldn't conceive how an honestly innocent act had turned into a complete nightmare. Suddenly he thought about Sam, his 2IC, maybe this was the universe's way of telling him that he and she could never be together. But then, why the kiss? Oh, it had been wonderful, granted, just the way Jack had imagined it in his dreams. Yet there was one difference. In his mind, he had always seen himself being the one to initiate such an action. It only further proved that Carter was not herself. Sam hadn't kissed him because she thought she was going to die and she wanted him to know how she felt, she had done it because something was messing with her brain. At this realization, Jack felt a pain that surpassed all his other hurts. He had taken a blow to the heart.

Turning his attention back to the multicolor fruit, Jack decided it would be easier to let fate decide. He closed his eyes and reached out a hand, he grabbed the first thing he felt. Opening his eyes again he saw that it had been the purple fruit Swush had taken, whatever he had called it. "How's that for irony," he said aloud to himself just before he took his first taste of the mind-numbing substance.

The taste was... well, it was indescribable. Jack felt certain he had tasted nothing as delicious his entire life. Eagerly taking another bite, he let the purple colored juice run down his chin. As he chewed he could feel the energy from the nourishment seeping back into his body, he felt like he could take on a hundred Jaffa and win. The headache had disappeared and even the burn on his upper arm had lost its sting.

By the time he was on his third, the tart taste had his tongue aching for some water. Jack reached for the pitcher nearest him and sniffed it. Smelled like nothing, just as water should, he tasted it with a finger, definitely water to him. He took the pitcher with two hands and gulped down the cool, crispness that the liquid offered so freely.

When he had finished, he began to realize just how tired he really was. He didn't want to sleep, but his body didn't always do what he wanted. Stumbling over to the divan he sank down on the cushy surface, before his head hit the cushion he was asleep.

Thwump! Thwump! Swoosh-swoosh. Thwump!

Jack rolled; trying to cover his head with the blankets only to find there weren't any to block out the annoying sounds. The realization of where he was hit him hard.

Sitting up, Jack saw Swish swoosh through the door. He was on his feet immediately and poised for action.

"I see that you have slept, follow me. And please do not try to escape."

Jack did as he was told and was only a few steps behind Swish as he walked out the door. "Where are we going?"

"To see your friends," was all Swish answered.

As it was, it didn't take very long to get where they were going and as soon as Jack turned into the room, he recognized it. He was back in the congregation room, only this time the three stone chairs were not empty.

Jack stared at his teammates. None were looking at him, not even acknowledging his presence. Their eyes were normal, yet unfocused. Nearest to him sat Daniel, his face twisted into a sardonic grin. On the other end was Teal'c, rigid and stoic as ever. And in the middle was Carter… Sam. Jack had a strong urge to run to her and hold her and tell her everything was going to be all right. But the look on her face held him in his place. Her lips were turned up, but not in a grin. Her expression was on that Jack could only describe as clueless, and she seemed to be relishing her naivete.

In the back of the room, lurking in the shadows was Swush. He was eyeing the colonel with the interest that a biologist may give his lab rat.

"You!" Jack shouted accusingly. "What did you do to them?"

"Nothing, they are as they have always been."

"Now, why don't I believe that?"

Ignoring the snide remark, Swush continued. "Colonel, I have brought you here to get what you have so blatantly refused to give me." Sweeping his hand toward the rest of SG-1, "choose one."

"Excuse me?"

Swush blinked, apparently he thought his statement did not need an explanation. "I asked you to choose one of your friends for me to kill."

Kill? Kill? Jack's head reeled. He thought back to the last conversation he had had with Swush, _"…tomorrow I shall have what I want." _Swush wanted the one thing that he couldn't give, the bond that Jack shared with those closest to him, and to do that he was going to kill, kill one of his friends.

"Swush, haven't we already been through this? I can't _give_ you what you want, not in the physical sense. Something like that must be earned, you must show me I can trust you!"

"Lies!" The alien yelled, finally losing his temper. "Why do you maintain this transparent falsehood? Now choose!"

Overwhelmed with confusion and despair, O'Neill stood still. He didn't have an answer for this creature.

"So be it!" Swush stormed out from the shadows, "Samantha Carter will step forward. Swish please take up your position."

Swish, who had not moved since entering the room walked over toward the now standing Major. He stopped about a meter from her and withdrew a short hollow rod from his swooshing cloak.

"Now, I will give you one last chance." Swush warned Jack.

Jack's mind raced, 'Even if he could bodily overtake one of these aliens the other would no doubt be a problem. And even if he were to get the better of them, what to do with his team? Likely whatever they had been drugged with would wear off eventually, however it was doubtful he would have time enough to wait. And what if it didn't wear off? How would he find a way to get out of this planet by himself. The thing, whatever it was, that brought them here must be around but of course -.'.

"Swish, ready your weapon-"

"Wait!" Jack rushed forward, unfastening his watch in the process. He gave it to Swush. "This is what you're after." He pointed to Carter's wrist. "See, she has one too."

He studied the watch for a moment then glared back up at Jack. "Do you take me for a fool? I know that this contraption is not a bond, it is simply a communication device." Swush stopped and looked confused. "Or perhaps you eat it?"

Jack gave him a funny look.

"I am right, am I not?" Swush whipped around with his cloak swoosh-swooshing. And with that very abnormal comment, Swush took a rather large bit of Jack's watchband, tearing the fabric with his razor-edged teeth.

At that moment, Colonel O'Neill looked back towards his stoic teammates and was surprised to see that despite their blank stares they all, excepting Teal'c, looked slightly taken aback by Swush's action. Though that may have been a figment of O'Neill's imagination because the moment he looked away and back again they were staring off into space.

Despite how strange it might be for someone to eat a watch, Swush seemed to be enjoying himself and when Jack turned back around to face him, no part of the band was to be seen.

"Yes! I have decided that this was meant only for consumption. Though it does seem to be full of carbohydrates, therefore I must avoid eating Kafluges today."

With that statement, O'Neill's face did a rather Daniel thing in it's expression where upon opening his mouth he only set closed again and furrowed his eyebrows so badly it was surprising to him that they did not stay that way.

"Ohfercryinoutloud!" I am sure that I could arrange for many more of those to be delivered to you if you would only let us go." Jack's statement was only half-hearted.

Swush sneered at him, " I do not think -"

"Ha ha har!"

Startled by the strange noise Jack and Swush turned heel in unison.

The noise had been issued by Swish, who had until then been behaving and standing in the corner. Steeping out of the shadows Swish spoke, "I have learned to like you earthman! It is unfortunate that your life has come down to this!"

"Silence underling!" Swush berated him. "Now, I am tired of all this delay, I have made the decision for you. The female I choose because you will probably have the strongest bond with your mate."

Jack hardly had time to comprehend the word 'mate' before Swish had stepped forward with his weapon yet again.

For the second time that day, Jack earnestly yelled, "Wait!" Running over to Swush and Swish he began babbling without consciously choosing his words. It was as if everything he knew about earth relationships and trust was spouting out of his mouth.

"I don't know what happened to your people. Why they can not learn to love and trust others is completely beyond me. Bonds you say you want? Then bonds you will have to form. Obviously the concept does not completely elude you. Even now you Swush, you share a bond with Swish. It is a bond of loyalty. Swush commands and Swish does. Though this is a rather primitive form of symbiosis it shows promise! Sam and I, we have a bond of trust and love and that bond can't be broken not even through one of our deaths. For even if she was no longer with me in this world I will continue to cherish her memory. No, bonds can not be broken, not unless someone who is immediately connected with it does something to jeopardize its stability. You want a bond that will unite your people, well that sort of thing takes much more time than just killing off an alien who you don't even know. You must work at it, be willing to make sacrifices, for until you are able to do that, a true bond you will never have."

Jack glared from one alien to the next. The expression on both of their faces would have been almost comical under different circumstances. Both had their mouths slightly agape in what Jack noticed as a very human expression.

"I am still not inclined to agree with you." Swush spoke very slowly.

Jack felt his heart sink back down into the pit of his stomach.

"…However, I can not disregard what you have spoken quite plainly. Understand Colonel, that despite our brutish appearance our race was never a very violent one. It is only after the great calamity on the surface happened that we were so lost and confused that we no longer knew how to trust anyone else. Show me of what you speak and maybe I will consider letting you go."

A growl was rising in Jack's throat out of utter frustration yet for the first time in days he did see a light at the end of the tunnel. "I can not show you how to trust someone. But I can give you an example…" With that he related to them about how he and Teal'c had come to trust one another and how by Teal'c taking and a chance in believing in O'Neill that things had come out alright in the end."

"You mean that by just throwing you that staff weapon, you trusted Teal'c?" Swish seemed to be coming around to this notion faster than Swush.

"Well yeah, but believe me if I hadn't thought that I had another option I wouldn't have risked that. But Teal'c went against everything he was taught to believe in to rescue me and my team, and that is very hard."

"Yes, but I nearly understand now Colonel. I will teach Swush and the others on my planet what you have finally made me see. Thank you Colonel."

This last remark of Swish's astonished Jack so much that he was immediately humbled by the enormous impact he had just made on an individual who, ten minutes ago would have just as soon shot him as spoken to him.

"I think it is time you went home Colonel." Swush finally spoke. He obviously did not understand all that had happened here but was convinced that whatever it was no longer required this earthman and his edible accoutrements.

"What about my team?" Jack went back over to his 2IC, there she was just standing not moving an eyelash.

Swush spoke again, "They shall be returned to their former state." Swish practically ran off down the corridor. "It will not take long, Swish is now getting the remedy to the drug."

He was not lying. Soon after Swish disappeared he came back into the room clutching a vial of purple liquid. Walking over to the motionless team members he placed to drops of each of their respective noses. "They shall be once again themselves when they reach your home planet."

"And when is that going to be?" Jack was growing antsy to go back and report this bizarre phenomenon to the General and to once again see his team the way he prefers them, animated.

At this Swush smiled, "Right now."

"Hold on, how are we gonna contact you and find out how it's going?"

"We shall contact you."

Jack was about to reply when a sudden blinding flash of light blocked his vision and he knew no more.


	15. Chapter 15

"Oh man! Why couldn't we have used the Stargate." Jack had reappeared on Earth back in Minnesota, and he was even in his own back yard, the only problem was he was knee deep in his pond in his own back yard. Suddenly a familiar voice spoke.

"They may not have had one O'Neill." Jack peered around in the gloom, it was again dark outside, yet Jack doubted that it was the same night that they had left.

"Hey Teal'c how are you?" Jack queried.

"I am indeed myself again O'Neill."

"Glad to hear it"

"Hey, I'm okay too." Another voice responded.

"Hello Daniel, you okay?"

"As well as can be expected after being dragged across the universe, drugged, knocked around a bit, and then sent back to Earth only to land in a pond."

Jack laughed, "Hey when you said you wanted to get back to nature last week. I just assumed… Where's Carter?"

"I'm right here sir." Her tone was despondent, although that may be due to the fact that unlike her teammates who were standing in ice cold water, she was sitting in it.

"Carter, how'd you get down there." At his joy of seeing her more than laughing at her situation, Jack chuckled again and went to help her up.

She however just glared at him and once was on her feet, ran to dry land. The three men quickly followed suit.

"Looks like you get the shower first Carter." Jack stated, still smiling stupidly over the fact that she was unharmed along with everyone else on the team. Dr. Frasier would of course be the final judge of that.

Sam looked down at herself dismally. After going from a freezing room to freezing water she saw she was shivering visibly and covered in goosebumps. Along with that she was also coated in pond scum from her waist down.

Feeling exhausted and confused she wasn't going to argue with a nice hot shower. Without waiting for Jack to go first, she muttered a "Thank you sir" and tore through his living room and up the stairs, bent on being warm again if she had to sprain an ankle or two first. Daniel and Jack showed slightly more restraint, but not much as they made their way inside and Jack headed for the linen closet for blankets until Carter was out of the shower.

Removing his soaked socks and shoes Jack made his way to the kitchen, "I think I'd better call General Hammond and let him know what's been going on with us. Man am I getting sick of the alien abduction thing."

Meanwhile, Daniel and Teal'c started tea. Then Daniel went to slump on the couch with Teal'c in the lead. From the living room Jack was sure that they could hear him on the phone, finally he heard a voice on the other end.

"Good evening General."

"Colonel O'Neill? Do you know what time it is?"

"Actually sir, I have no idea. You see My watch was just eaten by an alien. Alright not my whole watch, just the band really, but you know… No sir, what time is it?"

"It's 0200 Colonel!"

"Then I amend my first statement, good morning General."

"Jack what are you doing calling me on a Thursday morning when you are suppose to be taking time off?"

"Wow, didn't think we were there that long."

"Jack, what the hell are you talking about? You had better explain yourself."

"Well General, don't want to say too much over the phone, but let's just say that when you let us have time off, someone didn't think we needed it and we were sorta thrown into another mission against our will."

Finally comprehending the gravity of the situation General Hammond asked, "Is everyone alright?"

"We're just fine sir, of course the ol Doc will be happy to check us out."

"You better report to the SGC first thing in the morning, I mean later today."

"You betcha General, but you see, we're all up at my cabin."

"I expect you all on a plane as soon as possible."

"Yes sir."

There was a lot of muffled grumbling on the other end of the line and then Jack heard a click so he hung up.

Entering the living room Jack announced, "The General wants us in Colorado Springs as soon as we've all had a good night's sleep."

"And a shower." Daniel said from somewhere deep in his blanket. "Hey Jack, think you could turn the heat up in here."

"Yeah, hold on." Jack suddenly realized how cold he actually was and hoisted his blanket more securely on his shoulders.

It was either because she didn't want to keep the men waiting too long or she was incredibly tired but Sam was finished her shower in less than 20 minutes. When she came walking downstairs in fresh clothes and a towel on her head, Jack was relieved to see that the healthy pink glow had returned to her cheeks. He must have been smiling stupidly again because Carter gave him a funny look as she proceeded to sit next to the wad of blanket that was Daniel, on the couch.

"Daniel, it's your turn."

"What about you?" Daniel turned to Jack to protest.

"I'm next, Teal'c will go after me because he doesn't need to sleep."

"Okay, I won't take long." And with that Daniel proceeded up the steps leaving his half drunk mug of tea where it was.

Sam noticed it and went to the kitchen to help herself. She motioned for Jack to follow her and he did. Sensing where this was going he started talking, "You know Carter, right before you were taken off by that slimly alien and you uh… kissed me… I knew you weren't yourself and yet I let you… I should have been more careful but I… I'm sorry."

She stopped him by putting her hand on his arm, "Sir I don't regret what I did and I'm glad you reciprocated. Don't be sorry. I thought I was going to die and that was the one thing…" She became quiet for a moment but soon found her voice, "Sir, I actually wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"When you told Swush that you and I shared a bond of trust and _love,_ did you mean that?"

Jack was slightly taken aback, he hadn't realized that's what he'd said. "You remember that?" It was a stall question.

"Yeah, it's strange, I was there but I wasn't. Whatever drug they gave us caused a sort of out-of-body experience. But sir, you didn't answer my question."

"If I'm going to you better stop calling me sir."

She swallowed, "Yes, Jack"

"Carter… Sam, everything I did and said while we were on that planet, everything, I meant it."

Right then Jack thought she was going to start crying but she didn't, "I do too Jack."

Slowly what she had said dawned on him. He had known she felt something for him, isn't that what she had said during the Zatarc testing? But _love_, that was something else. Jack felt his insides turn into butterflies, who knew a season soldier could feel this way. Looking into her deep blue eyes he couldn't do anything but pull her into a compassionate hug. With his lips right next to her ear he whispered, "Are you sure now that we can keep this all between us and keep on going the way we have been?"

"Do we have a choice?"

"I could retire, again."

"No sir. Couldn't let you do that." She pulled back from him. "We just stay how we are."

That may have been what her mouth was saying but her eyes were saying something else entirely.

And Jack knew that even if she was willing and able to keep going as if nothing were out of place, he would never be able to. For him there was no other choice, he had to be with the woman he loved. "You may say that, but I can't." And with that Jack lifted her chin to his lips and kissed her truly, passionately, deeply.


End file.
